Communications Department
With two research projects focused on generating greater impact and application of bio waxes in the industrial sector, researchers MSc. Andrés Fernando Ramírez and MSc. Cristian Jahir Murillo, members of the research group in Food Science and Technology (Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos-CICTA) and the research group in Waste Valorization Technologies and Agricultural and Industrial Sources for Energy Sustainability (Tecnologías de Valorización de Residuos y Fuentes Agrícolas e Industriales para la Sustentabilidad Energética-INTERFASE), participated on behalf of the Universidad Industrial de Santander in the 7th International Congress of Agroindustrial Engineering – Agroindustry and Sustainability.
According to the researchers, palm oil is produced in 160 municipalities in the country and, in 2021, reached a production level of 1.75 million tons. The two papers presented during the event seek to open new markets for this product of great importance and economic growth for the country. “The impact is related to the purpose of determining, from its chemical composition, chemical properties, and viability of biowaxes in the development of various cosmetic products.”
The first of the two papers presented at the event is focused on the planning of a predictive model of the macroscopic characteristics of biowaxes obtained for commercial interest. The purpose of this project is to obtain mathematical models that allow predicting, with high probability, the physicochemical characteristics of bio waxes obtained from palm oil based on their chemical composition.
The second focuses on evaluating the possibility of increasing the melting temperature, hardness and mass yields of the bio wax obtained from palm oil. All this in order to meet the market requirements to be used as a cosmetic ingredient.
These research works were carried out in the research groups CICTA and INTERFASE, with the authorship of the researchers MSc. Cristian Jahir Murillo and MSc. Andrés Fernando Ramírez, under the direction of the professor of the School of Chemical Engineering, Luis Javier López. The two initiatives received academic and financial support through the General Royalties System project, entitled “Development of a Technology for the Production of Bioceres that Promotes Biocommerce in the Department of Santander”, in collaboration with Ecopetrol and SENA.
The International Congress on Agroindustrial Engineering – Agroindustry and Sustainability was held virtually, organized by Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, in Medellín, Colombia. It was aimed at professionals and trainers in agroindustrial sciences and technologies, with topics covering agroindustry, sustainability, production technology, waste utilization and new product development. This congress has been the setting for the dissemination of information generated by researchers, students, civil servants and entrepreneurs from different countries that are members of the Agroindustrial Engineering University Network (Red Universitaria de Ingeniería Agroindustrial – REDUNIA). It is a platform for technology transfer and adoption of knowledge that brings together, integrates and energizes the agroindustrial sector in a continuous improvement model.